Quick-connect electrical fittings are commonly used to rapidly connect an electrical cable to a knockout aperture in a junction box. Quick-connect electrical fittings typically are an assembly of parts including a connector body portion with two ends, a leading end portion on one end of the connector body for enabling insertion and attachment of the fitting assembly to a knockout aperture in a junction box, and a trailing end portion on the opposing end of the connector body for enabling attachment of an electrical cable to the fitting assembly.
Unfortunately, construction of the fitting assembly is a complex process that requires separately manufacturing the connector body, the leading end portion, and the trailing end portion, and subsequently assembling the portions to form the fitting assembly. The connector body portion is typically die-cast of metal and the separate end portions are typically stamped of sheet metal and formed into intricate shapes to perform their required functions. Die-casting is an expensive procedure that requires precision machinery, costly molds, and consumes a substantial amount of metal alloy for each part produced. Stamping and forming the leading and trailing end portions separately and then assembling them to the respective ends of the connector body also adds substantially to the unit cost of the fitting assembly.
Accordingly, what is needed is an electrical fitting that is simpler to produce and can be manufactured at a lower cost per unit. The electrical fitting must be capable of establishing and maintaining electrical continuity between the electrical cable, the fitting, and the junction box. Furthermore, the electrical fitting must be capable of providing strain relief to any attached cables, preventing easy removal by a rearward force applied to the fitting.